Ludhiana: A day after attack on shoe trader, gangster Benipal, his aide arrested

A day after shooting at shoe trader, Gurwinder Singh alias Prinkle, and his business partner Navtej Kaur, gangster Rishav Benipal alias Nanu and his aide Sushil Kumar have been arrested by the police. The accused also suffered bullet injuries after Prinkle opened fire at them in self-defence. Rishav Benipal and Sushil Kumar are admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.
The accused, seeking medical aid for their injuries, were apprehended near the Durga Mata Temple near Jagraon Bridge. They were first taken to Ludhiana Civil Hospital and later transferred to DMC Hospital. The police revealed that both Benipal and Sushil had sustained three bullet injuries each from Prinkle’s licenced pistol.
Prinkle, a well-known shoe trader from Chandigarh Road, has been involved in numerous controversies over the years due to his outspoken stance against various political figures, putting him frequently in the spotlight. In 2021, the Punjab and Haryana high court provided him with police protection, though he later declined security this August after being charged under the Information and Technology Act and subsequently going on the run.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP, Investigation), Shubham Agarwal stated that multiple teams from CIA staff -1, CIA staff -2, CIA staff -3, and Zone-1 police units coordinated to track down the suspects. Around 1.30 am on Saturday, they arrested Rishav Benipal and Sushil Kumar. After initial medical attention, the accused were transferred to DMC Hospital due to their injuries.
DCP Agarwal further disclosed that a murder attempt case had already been filed based on Prinkle’s statements. Named in the case are Rishav Benipal, Honey Sethi, Harpreet Singh, advocate Gaganpreet Singh, Prinkle’s father-in-law Rajinder Singh, brother-in-law Sukhwinderpal Singh, and five others. Prinkle claimed that after his marriage against his in-laws’ wishes, they harboured resentment toward him. Allegedly, his in-laws plotted with Benipal, a family associate, to harm him. Police investigations suggest the conflict also stemmed from Prinkle’s recent video, in which he made derogatory comments about Benipal’s mother, sparking an altercation.
When questioned about the involvement of Prinkle’s in-laws or the personal grudge between Prinkle and Benipal, DCP Agarwal stated that the police are evaluating Prinkle’s allegations.
He stated that after Benipal and Sushil’s arrest, they identified their aides as Mukul Sharma, Sahil Sapra, Akash, and Jatta. A hunt is on for the arrest of the rest of the accused.
Rival shoe trader denies involvement in attack
Following Prinkle’s accusation of Honey Sethi, a rival shoe trader from Doraha, as a conspirator, Sethi released a video refuting the claims, alleging that Prinkle is falsely implicating him. He mentioned a previous rivalry that had been resolved, accusing Prinkle of reigniting the feud with these accusations.
According to the police they are verifying the roles of those named by Prinkle, as he has identified almost everyone with whom he has had conflicts.